Above are some pics I've taken over the past couple of days. The speakers are really nice, the workmanship is outstanding: front leather panel, the cabinet is extremely well made, pics don't do it justice...

Those are some handsome speakers you got there. I bet since you have not posted in 5 days, I know what you are doing instead of posting. Any new discoveries you have uncovered with the new speakers compared to the older speakers you had before?

Here is the SF response after I spent about 3 hours positioning them and taking REW measurements. I'm pretty happy with it!! Taken with subwoofer, a few filters to knock some low freqs down about 3db.

That's one good looking in room FR! And the speakers look great too!

What distance did you take that measurement at? The high treble looks to be on the hot side if the measure was taken at 8+ feet. Which could either sound a bit bright, or it could just add more detail to the presentation. I find with a well behaved soft dome like the Scan Speak that SF uses, more than likely it is the later.

Like I said before....those are absolutely stunning! Those 4ohms must sound great on the pass labs. Money well spent. You will have those for a very long time.

Thanks, chiro14... They do sound good with the Pass amp, clean and detailed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hometheatergeek

Hey DD,

Those are some handsome speakers you got there. I bet since you have not posted in 5 days, I know what you are doing instead of posting. Any new discoveries you have uncovered with the new speakers compared to the older speakers you had before?

I'm back!! Thanks HTG! LOL, yeah, I connected them to the receiver (to save my preamp's tubes) and let them burn in for about 100 hours, a bit more than I originally intended.

Right now I have the MA's and the SF's side by side, and I've been swapping cables to compare them. (This takes time though!!) I have to take back my original statement where I said the SF's were not as "fast" as the MA's. The short 2-3 hours that I had the demo pair were not enough and the comparisons were not made based on the same songs - I wanted to get a general idea as to how they would sound in my room with my gear. Now that I could switch back and forth without any rush I can safely say that the SF's can handle any music style you throw at them - yes, including the distorted sound of Marilyn Manson!

My biggest surprise though is how accurately they can reproduce classical music. We have Vladimir Ashkenazy interpreting most of the big composers, and although we liked the way it sounded, we were never thrilled. Now, it's a pleasure to listen to: natural, detailed and more forward/involving/captivating, like you're sitting closer to that piano.

I am still liking that midrange, which is why I decided to get them. Also, they are a bit more focused and tight, especially with voice - I can place the singer more accurately and easier on the stage.

They are more sensitive to toe-in, where the MA's only care about the spacing between them.

Last night I watched the first movie ("Faster" in DTS MasterHD) with them in place. Did not know how it's going to go but they held up really well, I even forgot to pay attention to them after a while. I don't know if this is a good thing or not, but during songs in the movie, the singer's voice was in the middle of the stage, so I got up a few times to see if the voice was coming out of the center channel. No, but the center was active. I thought that with movie tracks the voice would be matrixed to the center, but apparently I am wrong...

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifisponge

That's one good looking in room FR! And the speakers look great too!

What distance did you take that measurement at? The high treble looks to be on the hot side if the measure was taken at 8+ feet. Which could either sound a bit bright, or it could just add more detail to the presentation. I find with a well behaved soft dome like the Scan Speak that SF uses, more than likely it is the later.

What sort of bass extension do you get out of Auditors sans sub?

Thanks Tim!

I measured at 8 to 9 feet. You are right, it is more detail - not brightness that I can hear. In fact, up until I ran side by side tests against the MA's, I could swear that the tweeters on the MA's were crisper. Well, after close comparisons, I found the tweets on the SF's to be just as detailed, but smoother (if this makes any sense...). Very pleasant sounding.

Making a judgment on the bass was the hardest part! If only all the recordings would be done in a standard, good quality manner! It sucks with certain recordings, but with some it's surprisingly tight - I'm guessing at above 60Hz. I know that none of the pro reviewers liked it, but a single 6" driver can only do so much.

The Sonus-certified rep will stop by to position them as per factory specs. I am really curious to see how he'll do it differently... If I get punked I'll come out and admit it!

Those are some High-End Magazine quality shots right there of a High-End Speaker. They look serious. It's not often you see someone go from Full tower to bookshelf, but given your gear and room, I know such a change would not have come about unless a marked improvement was expected. Those speakers are absolutely beautiful. Now, unfortunately, I don't know how to read those frequency graphs (by the time I was into home audio, MACC, and later--Audyssey, were around, doing my measurements and calibrations for me.) but based on the feedback on your page, it looks like you've got a winner on your hands! A wonderful addition to an already wonderful room.

BTW, that Pass Labs amp is INSANE!!!! The 30w of Class A (which, contrary to popular belief is more than enough for regular listening) and switching make it more than worth its price tag....do you find that you have to leave it on all the time so the capacitors are always charged? or does it work well from a cold-start?

I measured at 8 to 9 feet. You are right, it is more detail - not brightness that I can hear. In fact, up until I ran side by side tests against the MA's, I could swear that the tweeters on the MA's were crisper. Well, after close comparisons, I found the tweets on the SF's to be just as detailed, but smoother (if this makes any sense...). Very pleasant sounding.

If anyone gets that, I do. I've had all sorts of super tweeters, and other than a good ribbon (which also has it's trade offs), I generally prefer the sound of soft domed tweets. I think that some of what is perceived to be extra detail or crispness coming from a metal dome, is really the audio equivalent of edge enhancement on a video monitor. It sounds more detailed, but it is really an artifact.

Quote:

Making a judgment on the bass was the hardest part! If only all the recordings would be done in a standard, good quality manner! It sucks with certain recordings, but with some it's surprisingly tight - I'm guessing at above 60Hz. I know that none of the pro reviewers liked it, but a single 6" driver can only do so much.

Generally true, and a non-issue if using a sub full time anyway, however, there are some exceptions. The Dynaudio C1's, with their single 7" drivers, produced strong bass all the way down to 30Hz in my room.

Dynaudio C1 in my room (12 foot measure, no subwoofer, really...)

My current speakers don't go past 60hz with any power, but like you, my sub picks up the slack nicely.

Quote:

The Sonus-certified rep will stop by to position them as per factory specs. I am really curious to see how he'll do it differently... If I get punked I'll come out and admit it!

I think that with your ability to measure the in-room response to dial in placement, you've already done as good if not better than the SF rep will be able to do.

Quote:

Tim, did you receive your Halide yet??

I have in fact, and the jury is still out. I can say that the difference, if there is one, is not significant, between it and the optical out of my Mac Mini. However, I may just keep The Bridge for peace of mind, knowing that it is technically superior. It is a crazy thing this hobby.

Above are some pics I've taken over the past couple of days. The speakers are really nice, the workmanship is outstanding: front leather panel, the cabinet is extremely well made, pics don't do it justice...

Wow dddgtr congradulations on both the great speakers and REW read. Fun hobby we are in

If anyone gets that, I do. I've had all sorts of super tweeters, and other than a good ribbon (which also has it's trade offs), I generally prefer the sound of soft domed tweets. I think that some of what is perceived to be extra detail or crispness coming from a metal dome, is really the audio equivalent of edge enhancement on a video monitor. It sounds more detailed, but it is really an artifact.

Very well said - and very true! Your experience with the many speakers you've had are still helping others. It's helped me!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifisponge

Generally true, and a non-issue if using a sub full time anyway, however, there are some exceptions. The Dynaudio C1's, with their single 7" drivers, produced strong bass all the way down to 30Hz in my room.

Dynaudio C1 in my room (12 foot measure, no subwoofer, really...)

My current speakers don't go past 60hz with any power, but like you, my sub picks up the slack nicely.

That is indeed spectacular!! Just like my 15" sub!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifisponge

I have in fact, and the jury is still out. I can say that the difference, if there is one, is not significant, between it and the optical out of my Mac Mini. However, I may just keep The Bridge for peace of mind, knowing that it is technically superior. It is a crazy thing this hobby.

This is precisely why I decided to get mine. The fact that it sounds a bit cleaner is a welcome bonus...

Those are some High-End Magazine quality shots right there of a High-End Speaker. They look serious. It's not often you see someone go from Full tower to bookshelf, but given your gear and room, I know such a change would not have come about unless a marked improvement was expected. Those speakers are absolutely beautiful. Now, unfortunately, I don't know how to read those frequency graphs (by the time I was into home audio, MACC, and later--Audyssey, were around, doing my measurements and calibrations for me.) but based on the feedback on your page, it looks like you've got a winner on your hands! A wonderful addition to an already wonderful room.

BTW, that Pass Labs amp is INSANE!!!! The 30w of Class A (which, contrary to popular belief is more than enough for regular listening) and switching make it more than worth its price tag....do you find that you have to leave it on all the time so the capacitors are always charged? or does it work well from a cold-start?

Thanks Brolic!!

I actually thought about the SF Cremona floorstanders. But since they use exactly the same midrange drivers and tweets and I am definitely planning on getting 2 subwoofers for the room, I decided to go with the "bookshelves". Besides low frequencies - which are going to be covered by the subs anywas - they are the same speaker; and I like the way they look. Not to mention Tim's findings had a small part to play in all this.

The Pass amp works instantly, the moment you turn it on. By the time I load up a BD movie or my favorite playlist it's at the optimal operating temperature.

I still half-expect them to start scuttling away. War of the Worlds comes to mind (the original, not the remake).

Sonus Faber speakers have a fine reputation and yours no doubt sound quite good. You should be content for some time to come. Upgrading should not be a consideration. Listen to me. I am saving your wallet.

How is everything going? I haven't seen any new posts from you on HTS, have you been taking more measurements?

Things are going great, thank you. I've been taking a few measurments but with everythng going on this time of the year i'll wait till i have more time and then jump in with both feet. Also, I ordered drapes (behind speakers) and they are on 6 week back order so once those are up that would be a good time to post results for assistance...

Above are some pics I've taken over the past couple of days. The speakers are really nice, the workmanship is outstanding: front leather panel, the cabinet is extremely well made, pics don't do it justice...

Hi dd.

Let me first apologize for not getting on this sooner. Your SF speakers are drop dead gorgeous! Your whole system looks simply stunning. You've done an excellent job putting it all together. I wish I lived closer so I could partake in all it's awesomeness. Well done, my friend.

I have not heard of the movie you mentioned above. Is it available in region 1 format? I will try to google it later on. We watch basically everything from Kurosawa, big fans of him and Mifune. Especially "The Seven Samurai". Shintaro Katsu in Zatoichi, and of course Beat Takeshi's Zatoichi. Azumi is another all time favorite... On the wild side, "Samurai Champloo" - masterpiece in its own right. Lone Wolf and Cub; Samurai Trilogy - again Mifune was simply amazing while playing Musashi... Oh, there is a new one I believe the director's last name is Nagasaki, movie is called Kuro Obi. I thought it was pretty good though not historically accurate.

THanks for the info on the RCA HD antenna. We don't watch much tv, except for 24 which we wouldn't miss for the world... so it kind of sucks paying $50 a month for Directv programming just for that. I kind of lost hope finding a good HD antenna but now that I've got a couple of suggestions I'll try again... We live on the opposite side of town from you. You are fairly close to most broadcasting stations...

Regards,
Dan

those are really good movies i have them all . what is you roo size if you dont mind me asking

Since you are familiar with the above movies, am I correct to assume the you've seen (and perhaps own) the new 13 Assassins? I've been trying to get my hands on the uncut original Japanese version - which is about 30 min. or so longer. I did find it on some websites like cdjapan.co.jp but with NO subtitles... Do you know of a place to get that with English subtitles?

Have you ever had a welder to a custom job for you, and if so what was the general procedure? I'm considering your suggestion to explore a welder for a new main A/V rack, but would like an idea of what might be involved before going there. I have a layout for the rack's configuration, so now it's a matter of how (and if) to do it.

During the current heatwave, I'm not running around the city for this for sure, and it's still not clear how much (if any) money may need to be diverted to help family in some health issues.

Have you ever had a welder to a custom job for you, and if so what was the general procedure? I'm considering your suggestion to explore a welder for a new main A/V rack, but would like an idea of what might be involved before going there. I have a layout for the rack's configuration, so now it's a matter of how (and if) to do it.

During the current heatwave, I'm not running around the city for this for sure, and it's still not clear how much (if any) money may need to be diverted to help family in some health issues.

Hi Charles,

Weird how this heat goes, I feel for those affected... Usually, this time of the year in the Sacramento area we hover at around 100F or above. I've lived here for about 23 years and this is the coolest I can remember, low 80s to low 90s. Loving it!!!

Back to the welder question. I know a lot of contractors, so finding someone reliable was easy for me. I always have stuff custom built if possible. I am actually working on designing another rack for my room, since this one is temporary until I make a final decision on components and layout.

Find a good welder, just like with anything you can ask to look at their work, look the man in the eye and see if you get a good feeling about him (or her). Also, ask if they have an inhouse powder coating setup, if not it's ok but make sure they have a powder coating company they closely work with. Usually, these guys do really complicated welding work so a A/V rack is not a bid deal to them. All this might require a bit of research, but in the end you'll save a ton compared to ordering it from that place and the quality would be identical.

Figure out what kind of top you want to go with: glass, granite or wood and go from there. Should you decide to go with granite, let me know if you have specific questions because I have some really good friends who do that for a living.

Weird how this heat goes, I feel for those affected... Usually, this time of the year in the Sacramento area we hover at around 100F or above. I've lived here for about 23 years and this is the coolest I can remember, low 80s to low 90s. Loving it!!!

Back to the welder question. I know a lot of contractors, so finding someone reliable was easy for me. I always have stuff custom built if possible. I am actually working on designing another rack for my room, since this one is temporary until I make a final decision on components and layout.

Find a good welder, just like with anything you can ask to look at their work, look the man in the eye and see if you get a good feeling about him (or her). Also, ask if they have an inhouse powder coating setup, if not it's ok but make sure they have a powder coating company they closely work with. Usually, these guys do really complicated welding work so a A/V rack is not a bid deal to them. All this might require a bit of research, but in the end you'll save a ton compared to ordering it from that place and the quality would be identical.

Figure out what kind of top you want to go with: glass, granite or wood and go from there. Should you decide to go with granite, let me know if you have specific questions because I have some really good friends who do that for a living.

Thanks for the offer. As I say, this isn't something to pursue hard right now, but to keep in mind. Ideally, it would be something to resemble the Sanus Euro racks flanking my Hooker cabinet (see my thread pics). Second choice would be something squarish, to match the lines of my TV. But I want it to cool down before making any moves other than theorizing. At 1PM it was 101 here (that was at either Central Park or LaGuardia airport).